Monday, May 11, 2009

As we're talking party election broadcasts I thought I'd do a quick review of those available online right now (an idea sparked by Joseph in the comments thread).I've linked to them all so you can judge for yourselves, and it's kind of nice to have them collected all in one place too.

Truly, truly dismal. Three minutes of Gordon Brown droning on about something or other. A few shots showing what close friends he is with Obama and then he kind of lurches at you at the end grinning like a buffoon.

High point: Who knows? Lost in the droning monotone.Low point: Brown's desperate lunge towards the voters.

Slicker than a Brylcreemed weasel on his way to an indecent proposal - far better production values and coherence than Labour's effort. Extraordinary selling points include "Yes, we'll keep tuition fees" and "No, I won't sort out your son's schooling". Actually I think that will play rather well despite the villainy behind the politics of it all.

High point: Jaunty pace. Cameron does some expert pointing.Low point: Attempts to appear in touch with yoof culture.

Professor Clegg lectures an extremely board, silent schoolroom. For something billed as a conversation it's extremely one sided, I'd call it the Clegg monologue. In many ways it's a carbon copy of the Tory broadcast, just not as good. Town hall meetings, but no fizz. Serious pointing, but unconvincing to say the least. Does have more ethnic representation though.

High point: The beginning has pace and looks like the start of a great broadcast.Low point: Clegg lecturing people who look like they've been there for hours.

One message repeated endlessly, hypnotically reinforced with large letters looming out of the mist. Europe costs us £40 million, £40 million, £40 million, £40 million - get it? Interesting interview with an EU bureaucrat standing for Europe to "go back and sort them out" which may go down well with some.

High point: They know their audience and play to them well.Low point: The constant lies really.

Starts out with Salmond as the trendy teacher sitting on the edge of the desk giving us a friendly chat, which works reasonably well. It then inexplicably transmutes into a bizarre metaphor about politics as a game of keepy uppy. Very Scottish weather.

High point: Salmond reassures us with numbers.Low point: Do they really want us to associate them with football in the cold and sleet?

I'm really torn on this one. It has a bleak and dark feeling to it. It vividly paints a picture of a miserable nation - but maybe that will play well in Wales? It's very humane and I liked the scale of it, but simultaneously it did feel like it was locked in the last century (the ambiance not the policies). The political equivalent of Diazepam or the kindly hug of a well meaning uncle.

High point: A real sense of rootedness.Low point: Not many laughs in it.

As an aside. Love the intro music when you enter the Plaid site. Very crystal healing.

I've already highlighted the Greens, so I wont do so again (but I liked it).

No2EU have a video on their site but it features Tony Benn prominently so it can't be their election broadcast - so I decided not to review it (as it would a terrible election broadcast, but as an educational mini-film it's not bad at all)

Labour have an awful PEB too with some random boxing (it would've been good if it was John Prescott) and people telling us why David Cameron would be so bad. It just looks like a party with nothing positive to say.

It's the way the BBC allocates them - I assume the parties can decide their own content, so if they want to talk about other stuff that's up to them I guess.

Anyway, the point is I've pointed to the first round and haven't had time to look at the second wave yet so I'm more than happy to hear whether any of the second lot were improvements on the first.

I was told at the weekend that the BBC will do them for free as long as you're happy with just a piece to camera - hadn't realised that - quite handy to know for when i launch my breakaway splinter party!

I guess I'm obsessed with minutae but I keep thinking things like "why are they standing in front of a white elephant?", and "do you *really* think associating yourself with Bill Clinton will make you seem personally ethical?" but that's there choice I guess.

The fusion between the two christian groupings does seem a bit weird though when they openly say tat one is a conservative party dedicated to low taxes and market capitalism and the other says he's a social democrat and internationalist.

The thing I like best though is that they claim their vote is worth "upto four times as much as the Greens" because of PR, *immediately* followed by a slogan "for honesty and integrity in politics"

Let's see your maths then because from where I'm standing a party who doesn't get enough to even win one seat is a symbolic vote which can be worthwhile but cannot be said to stop other parties getting in or be worth precisely four times another party's vote. Nul points!

People may be interested that all the broadcasts are now up at the BBC from one page

This blog expresses the personal opinions of Jim Jepps and not any organisation he may, or may not, be associated with.

However, whilst there are elections on, here is an imprint just in case; Promoted by J Hicks on behalf of Lewisham Green Party, 77 Duncombe Hill, London, SE23 1QY. Published by blogger.com, who are not responsible in any way for the content of this site.